Porous refractory armor substrate

Abstract

Composite armor and armor systems according to the invention incorporate substrates that delay and reduce compressive waves associated with impacts from reflecting off of the back surface of ceramic front face armor as tensile waves, which may damage or destroy the front face armor material. The composite armor and armor systems incorporating syntactic substrates and backed by a high strength fiber backing exhibit increased mass efficiency and reduced blunt force trauma resulting from ballistic impacts.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A composite armor material, comprising:
 an armor surface material comprising ceramic; 
 an armor syntactic substrate comprising a metal having spheres formed from materials selected from the group consisting of ceramic, glass, plastic and resin therein, wherein the armor syntactic substrate comprises a front surface that is in contact with the armor surface material, and a rear surface that is not in contact with the armor surface material; and 
 a backing layer provided on the rear surface of the armor syntactic substrate, 
 wherein the armor syntactic substrate has an impedance that is greater than 35% of the impedance of the armor surface material. 
 
     
     
       2. The composite armor material of  claim 1 , wherein the ceramic of the armor surface material is selected from the group consisting of boron carbide, aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, titanium diboride, silicon nitride, aluminum nitride, tungsten carbide, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       3. The composite armor material of  claim 1 , wherein the armor surface material comprises a continuous layer. 
     
     
       4. The composite armor material of  claim 1 , wherein the armor syntactic substrate is in contact with the armor surface material through mechanical attachment. 
     
     
       5. The composite armor material of  claim 4 , wherein mechanical attachment between the armor surface material and armor syntactic substrate is maintained by mechanical fasteners. 
     
     
       6. The composite armor material of  claim 4 , wherein mechanical attachment between the armor surface material and armor syntactic substrate is maintained by an adhesive layer having a thickness less than 0.625 mm provided between the armor surface material and armor syntactic substrate. 
     
     
       7. The composite armor material of  claim 1 , wherein the armor syntactic substrate comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, magnesium, titanium, beryllium, aluminum alloys, magnesium alloys, titanium alloys, beryllium alloys, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       8. The composite armor material of  claim 1 , wherein the spheres are solid or hollow, and have a lower density than the metal. 
     
     
       9. The composite armor material of  claim 1 , wherein the ceramic spheres comprise a ceramic selected from the group consisting of boron carbide, aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, titanium diboride, silicon nitride, aluminum nitride, tungsten carbide, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       10. The composite armor material of  claim 1 , wherein the armor syntactic substrate has an impedance that is greater than 50% of the impedance of the armor surface material. 
     
     
       11. The composite armor material of  claim 1 , wherein the armor syntactic substrate has an impedance that is about the same as the impedance of the armor surface material. 
     
     
       12. The composite armor material of  claim 1 , wherein the composite armor material achieves a V 50  ballistic limit of at least 2900 fps when impacted by a .30 caliber M2 armor piercing round. 
     
     
       13. The composite armor material of  claim 1 , wherein the backing material comprises an ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene. 
     
     
       14. A method of making a composite armor material, comprising:
 providing an armor surface material comprising ceramic; 
 providing an armor syntactic substrate comprising a metal having spheres formed from materials selected from the group consisting of ceramic, glass, plastic and resin therein, wherein the armor syntactic substrate comprises a front surface that is in contact with the armor surface material, and a rear surface that is not in contact with the armor surface material; 
 attaching the armor syntactic substrate to the armor surface material; 
 affixing a backing layer to the armor syntactic substrate; and 
 optionally encasing the armor surface material and attached armor syntactic substrate with a protective outer layer, 
 wherein the armor substrate has an impedance that is greater than 35% of the impedance of the armor surface material. 
 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the armor syntactic substrate is attached to the armor surface material by methods selected from the group consisting of gluing, mechanically fastening, and wrapping the armor surface material and armor syntactic substrate. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the ceramic of the armor surface material is a selected from the group consisting of boron carbide, aluminum oxide, silicon carbide, titanium diboride, silicon nitride, aluminum nitride, tungsten carbide, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 14 , wherein the armor syntactic substrate comprises a metal selected from the group consisting of aluminum, magnesium, titanium, beryllium, aluminum alloys, magnesium alloys, titanium alloys, beryllium alloys, and combinations thereof.